When the nervous system is overwhelmed, self-compassion seems out of reach One of the most common things I witness in my Reiki sessions is this: someone comes in feeling deeply overwhelmed, and on top of that overwhelm, they are frustrated with themselves for feeling that way. They tell me they “should” be able to handle it, that they know better, or that they’re just too sensitive. And I gently remind them that a dysregulated nervous system is not a mindset failure, it is an energetic state. When you are overwhelmed, your energy contracts. Your shoulders tighten, your breath becomes shallow, your jaw clenches, and your heart subtly closes. This is not a weakness. This is your body's protection mechanism. Your nervous system shifts into survival: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn, because somewhere inside, it perceives that something is too much. It might not be physical danger. It might be responsibility, pressure, emotional labor, unprocessed grief, or simply moving too fast for t...